Any port in a storm
02nd October 2020
The weather has been wild here in Norfolk over the last week or so. Strong winds, so much rain! So it must have felt pretty scary and tough on a young kestrel who was either separated by accident or design from parents or the very least another sibling.
Fortunately, it discovered sanctuary in a friend's garden and where it was able to feed on the worms in the rather lush and decidedly, well, watered lawns.
I was able to follow the kestrel around the garden, watching it sheltering in the apple trees, under the sweet chestnut and hopping from one fence post to the next.
Sometimes it made it to the woodpile, a favourite hunting place for mice by my friends cat. But the most entertaining perch was on the rotary drier. A great place to look down on the lawn for prey, but it was rather prone to being blown by the wind. Often the kestrel would have a thrilling, fairground, roundabout ride, ending up facing in a totally different direction.
A close up shot shows that kestrels, if hungry enough, will eat crane flies and this little chap has a daddy long leg's leg, still in its beak.
Once the weather calmed down and blue skies returned, the kestrel was gone. Hopefully reunited somewhere over the fields with a member of its family.
Fortunately, it discovered sanctuary in a friend's garden and where it was able to feed on the worms in the rather lush and decidedly, well, watered lawns.
I was able to follow the kestrel around the garden, watching it sheltering in the apple trees, under the sweet chestnut and hopping from one fence post to the next.
Sometimes it made it to the woodpile, a favourite hunting place for mice by my friends cat. But the most entertaining perch was on the rotary drier. A great place to look down on the lawn for prey, but it was rather prone to being blown by the wind. Often the kestrel would have a thrilling, fairground, roundabout ride, ending up facing in a totally different direction.
A close up shot shows that kestrels, if hungry enough, will eat crane flies and this little chap has a daddy long leg's leg, still in its beak.
Once the weather calmed down and blue skies returned, the kestrel was gone. Hopefully reunited somewhere over the fields with a member of its family.